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Collards (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) are a dark green leafy vegetable. Collard greens are of exceptional nutritional value and can be a solid part of a healthy diet. Technically a type of non-heading cabbage, collards are a good choice for gardens in warm climates, since they tolerate heat better than the other members of the cabbage family.

Choosing and Evaluating a Variety

Look for high-yielding varieties with good resistance to premature flowering or bolting. You can choose between smooth-leaved and savoy types, which have a curled, wrinkled leaf, and between short compact plants and taller upright varieties. Both hybrid and open-pollinated types are available. Hybrid varieties yield a bit more than open-pollinated varieties and are more uniform in maturation and form, but there is little difference otherwise. The even maturation of hybrids is advantageous if you plan a single harvest. For a continual harvest, the varying maturity times of the open-pollinated varieties are better suited.

Hybrid Varieties

“Flash” is a high yielding, bolt-resistant hybrid. It has smooth leaves and an upright growth habit, performs well in a wide variety of environmental conditions and produces very uniform crops. “Top Pick” is a recently developed hybrid collard that is also slow to bolt and highly productive. This selection is tall and has savoy leaves.

Open-Pollinated Varieties

Among open-pollinated collards, “Vates” has superior yield, bolt-resistance and uniformity. Featuring smooth leaves and a compact habit, this variety has been popular for many years. “Vates” is also a good choice if you want to overwinter your plants. “Champion” is a newer open-pollinated variety that was developed from “Vates.” It is similar to “Vates” but slower to bolt and uniform. Another old variety, “Morris Heading” collard forms a loose head of savoy leaves, but is prone to bolting.

Older Varieties

Traditional favorites that aren't grown as much since the appearance of hybrid varieties include "Georgia LS." Wavy green leaves are harvested in 75 days on a slow-to-bolt plant. "Green Glaze" has shiny light green leaves and is sometimes called greasy collards. The advantage of growing "Green Glaze" is its resistance to caterpillar damage. Breeders want to incorporate this trait into modern varieties. Mark Farnham of the USDA National Plant Germplasm Collection, concerned about disappearance of heirloom collard landraces, gathers seeds from Southeastern farmers still growing older types.

Growing Tips

Although collards are better suited to warm climates than other members of the cabbage family, they are still considered cool-season crops. They grow best in early spring and fall at temperatures from 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures encourage fungal disease and insect pests that affect collards. Cool temperatures also improve flavor and a frost produces the tastiest leaves. In mild winter areas, plant seeds in late summer for fall, winter and spring harvest. In cold winter areas, plant seeds in spring for a midsummer harvest, or in midsummer for picking from fall to early winter.

About the Author

Cathryn Chaney has worked as a gardening writer since 2002. Her horticultural experience working in the nursery industry informs her garden articles, especially those dealing with arid landscaping and drought-tolerant gardening. Chaney also writes poetry, which has appears in "Woman's World" magazine and elsewhere. Chaney graduated from the University of Arizona in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.